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Have you ever wondered what came first, the chicken or the egg?

At Chase Elementary, Cheviot Elementary, Pleasant Ridge Montessori and Rothenberg Preparatory Academy the students are working to figure that out.

Collectively the students are incubating 192 eggs which will hatch in late April or early May.

This annual program, provided by OSU Extension, takes students through the first phase of a life cycle.  The students care for and observe the eggs each day for 21 days and then spend time getting to know their recently hatched friends before they are given to local farmers and 4-H families.

Each day the students participate in an “eggy” activity and review the developmental process of the embryonic chick.  At the end of the 21 days most eggs will hatch however, some of the eggs do not hatch.  Students often struggle with reality but, through discussion the students learn some valuable life lessons.

Hatching chicken eggs is a deep and meaningful activity for most of the students.  At Rothenberg Preparatory Academy the students enjoy taking care of the eggs but, they also develop a profound appreciation for life.  The students ask questions about how to care for baby siblings, the needs of living things and how their own bodies process nutrients.

The “Chick Quest” program is available to any school or agency in Hamilton County through OSU Extension.  If you are interested in learning more about pricing options and how to get this program in your school,  please contact OSU Extension, Hamilton County at 513-946-8989.

To see what happens inside the egg during the 21 day incubation period, check out this video:

As many readers of this newsletter know, Ohio has the dubious distinction of hosting some of the most destructive non-native tree-killing insect pests found in North America.  In 2002, emerald ash borer (EAB) was discovered in northwest Ohio.  Asian longhorned beetle (ALB) was discovered in and around Bethel, OH, in 2011.  Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) was discovered in eastern Ohio forests in 2012.  In 2012, the walnut twig beetle was also detected in Butler County.  This bark beetle carries the fungus that causes Thousand Cankers Disease (TCD) and infected black walnut trees were discovered in a landscape in that county in 2013.

Members of our OSU Extension, Hamilton County office have served on the forefront in the battles against these invasive pests since the discovery of EAB in Ohio:  Joe Boggs helped to form the “OSU Extension, EAB Outreach Team” in 2002.  Unfortunately, it was soon discovered that by the time EAB was found in Michigan, it had already been spread to multiple states by the movement of infested plant material and wood such as fire wood.  Sadly, the eradication battle was lost long before EAB was discovered in North America; the beetle can now be found in 26 U.S. states and 2 Canadian provinces.  Likewise, HWA is now so widespread including in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park that eliminating this pest from North America will be impossible.  TCD may not far behind with sites in many western and eastern states; however, our staff continues to work with the Ohio Department of Agriculture to raise awareness of this killer of black walnut trees.  Julie Crook has been distributing outreach materials to the public and Joe has developed a TCD PowerPoint that he uses to teach Green Industry professionals as well as Master Gardeners what to look for with detecting TCD.

While these non-native pests are certainly destructive, they do not come close to the potential devastation that could be caused by ALB should this non-native tree borer be allowed to follow the same pathway of widespread establishment in multiple states.  That’s because EAB, HWA, and TCD each focus their destructive attention on just  a few tree species.  Of course, this may be cold comfort for readers who are suffering through the loss of large ash trees to EAB!  However, ash trees belong to a single tree genus; Fraxinus.  Just imagine what would happen if a killer of trees belonging to 12 genera were allowed to escape eradication in Ohio and elsewhere in North America.  ALB kills all native maples as well as buckeyes/horsechestnuts; elms; willows; sycamore; birches; poplars; Mountainash; and ashes as well as several non-native trees found in Ohio landscapes including mimosa; katsura; and golden raintree.  The loss of ash to EAB has been devastating; the loss of trees in 12 genera would be catastrophic.  We have never experienced a non-native pest or disease in North America with the destructive capabilities of ALB.

The key to avoiding this grim future rests with discovering and eradicating ALB infestations and early detection is essential to the success of ALB eradication both in terms of time and money.  In 2013, Joe and Julie along with several other OSU Extension personnel acquired funding through a USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Farm Bill grant to develop a standardized ALB training program; the grant was titled “Standardized Asian Longhorned Beetle (ALB) Early Detection Certification Training Programs.”  In 2015, Joe was part of another team that acquired USDA APHIS Farm Bill grant funding to use the PowerPoint developed through the first grant as a framework to produce e-learning training modules for the National Plant the National Plant Diagnostic Network (NPDN), First Detector program.  The grant is titled, “Asian Longhorned Beetle Detection Education – Training Green Industry Professionals as First Detectors.”  There will be eight training modules and the team has completed seven modules; two are currently under peer review through the NPDN.  While the exact date for launching the online training has not been set, you can learn more about the NPDN and First Detector training by visiting the following website:  https://www.npdn.org/

One of the early challenges discovered with providing ALB outreach training in Greater Cincinnati was the confusion presented by both ALB and EAB overlapping in our region.  Indeed, this photo shows dead ash trees that were killed by EAB near Bethel, OH, behind mulch piles produced by grinding-up trees to eradicate ALB.  The confusion means that when we say, “ALB,” people often think “EAB,” and vice versa.  Both are non-natives originating from Asia; however, they differ in their development, spread, host range, tree killing behavior and most importantly in their management.  EAB is well beyond the reach of eradication while ALB infestations can and have been eradicated elsewhere in North America.  Readers may reference an article co-authored by Joe in 2013 to learn more about the differences between ALB and EAB.  The article appeared in Canadian Groundskeeper (there is an ALB infestation just outside of Toronto) and is still cited by other ALB sources such as under “Resources” on the USDA APHIS website (see below).  Here is a direct link to the online version of the article:

http://www.kenilworth.com/publications/cg/de/201311/files/19.html

Our office staff have long been engaged in the fight against non-native invasives, but you can help too!  To learn more about ALB and to report a suspicious tree or beetle, visit the USDA APHIS ALB website at:

http://asianlonghornedbeetle.com/

ALB Adult on the Side of a Home

ALB Marshelling Yard Mulch Pile w-Dead Ash 1

EAB Adult

OSU Extension’s Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program (EFNEP) will be providing programs on an “open site” model beginning in October 2015.

The “open class” model will be implemented across the state and provide our EFNEP staff with an opportunity to engage a new and wider audience.  EFNEP will send out articles and calendars announcing the locations and times as they become available.

Every county is working with a facility to hold classes and will allow a wide audience to attend the classes.

EFNEP is funded by the United States Department of Agriculture and operates through Extension programs at land grant institutions in every state and in the six U.S. territories. In Ohio, EFNEP is administered by Ohio State University Extension. This program is intended for limited resource adults who care for children in their homes as well as limited-income youth. The program utilizes interactive discussions and activities to guide participants through a series of meetings aimed at improving the total family diet and nutritional well-being.

On July 15, 4-H Agriscience in the City visited the Hamilton County 4-H Fair at Stricker’s Grove, on the extreme northern edge of Hamilton County. The fair ran from the 15^th to the 18^th from 4 PM to 10PM most days. On the first day, however, there was a group day from 10AM to 2PM, where day camps could come and visit the 4-H fair and ride the rides at Stricker’s Grove. That was when 4-H Agriscience in the City set-up a little demonstration table along with an information board about the different programs that 4-H can bring to a school or camp. The demonstration was from rockets away, and they used a 2-liter bottle, filled it up with water and pressurized it using a launch pad. After a count down from excited youth spectators, the rocket launched into the air, spewing the water out the back and getting the audience a little wet. The campers squealed with excitement at the sight and would come back asking for more periodically. Eventually, 4-H Agriscience in the City had to launch every 10 minutes to keep the campers interested. This ran from the campers’ arrival at 10 until their departure at 2. It is estimated that 4-H Agriscience in the City saw at least 100 kids if not more.

Ohio State University Extension was founded in 1914 and since then has attempted to apply and what students learn in the classroom to real life situations. Each county has an office, out of which multiple programs operate, all from different funding streams. This includes 4-H, EFNEP, SNAP-Ed and Horticulture. Every county is different in its amount of funding for the office and for each program, meaning that most of the time the people who work in the office together don’t actually work together on the same project. In Hamilton county, all these different goals and programs worked together to offer a program to the community.

On June 30^th and July 1^st, every person who was scheduled to be in the office those days helped to plan a program for about 30 kids each day that would take place at the OSU extension office. It really was a win-win for everybody in the office. Each station either highlighted a certain program or gave the participants a great learning experience and the program cost $5 a participant. So, each program got a little marketing and the office made a little bit of money.

There were five stations: the garden, snack time, exercise station, 4-H fun, and an indoor craft. Each one had a learning component and something for the students to make or experience. The garden station, run by Julie Crook a Horticulture program coordinator, had participants plant a seed in a cup and water it for them to take home. Then she gave a tour of the garden at the office, pointing out important plants and wildlife. The snack station, run by Jennifer Even an extension coordinator for EFNEP, had kids skewer grapes to build a caterpillar and learn about the different parts of a caterpillar. Afterwards they got a healthy snack of it, as well water flavored by cantaloupe, pineapple and honeydew melon. From there the kids would go to the exercise station, run by Sammie Chamberland a summer assistant for 4-H. At this station the kids got to do basic exercises by tossing dice deciding type and number of exercise. The goal of this station was to teach participants how fun it is to get up and move around. The next station was 4-H, run by Tonya Harvath and Tony Staubach both 4-H educators. At this station, the kids got to create and launch rockets high into the air using nothing but 2-liter bottles, cardboard, water and air pressure. The students learned about building aerodynamically efficient rockets and how to get involved in 4-H to do even cooler projects. Finally, the participants travelled inside to do a craft with Lisa Cox and Janan Rabi who are both EFNEP program assistants. Here the students produced a water bottle holder that they wear like a necklace or lanyard. When not making the craft, participants learned about healthy eating and how to make a healthy meal.

All in all, this program took about an hour and a half to two hours, each rotation lasting about 20 minutes. The participants left the camp with a full tummy, sore muscles, a potted plant, a water bottle holder, and inquisitive minds about 4-H and science in general. OSU Extension in Hamilton County came together across funding streams and programs to offer a comprehensive morning of learning to summer camps full of young energetic minds. The inaugural Innovation Station program was an overwhelming success.

The newly hired County Extension Director was the former Community Development Educator at Hamilton County Extension from the years 1997 through 2008. A native Cincinnatian, Deborah Carney is a graduate from the University and Cincinnati with a Master’s degree in Community Planning. In her former years at The Ohio State University Extension she received several accommodations for her work in community capacity building, working in Lincoln Heights and several other inner-city neighborhoods. Following the 2001 unrest in Cincinnati, Deborah worked with The Ohio State University Extension in developing community forums for the Neighbor to Neighbor Project regarding race relations. Prior to her returning to Extension on June 1, 2015, she worked for the City of Cincinnati and the Cincinnati Public Schools where she was District’s Grants Administrator.

Beyond the joyful sounds coming from the amusement rides at Strickers Grove, this weekend you can find 4-H projects on display from the Ohio State University Extension, Hamilton County 4-H clubs at the Hamilton County 4-H Community Fair. From the traditional to the contemporary, youth have displayed their projects for the community to view.
Beginning Wednesday, July 15th through Friday July 17th from 4:00PM-10:00PM and ending Saturday, July 18th from 9:00AM to 10:00PM you can gain admission to view and participate in the wide variety of 4-H projects and programs from Hamilton County 4-H, as well as ride the rides and catch sights at Strickers Grove. Strickers Grove is located at 11490 Hamilton Cleves Rd, Hamilton, OH 45013.

On Friday night at 6:30 you can participate in the “Taste of 4-H” or at 7:00PM you can attend the “Open Class Horse Show”. Saturday evening at 7:30 the Bulls, Broncs and Barrels Rodeo will begin, which is sure to be a good time.
Wednesday through Friday admission is $6 per person, $4 for seniors (over 60) and military & public safety personnel (with ID). Children 5 and under are admitted for free. On Saturday the admission (which includes the rodeo) is $10.00 per person, $8 for military & public safety personnel (with ID), $7 for seniors (over 60) $6 for youth (6-13). Children 5 and under are admitted for free. Ride tickets can be purchased for $1.50 per ticket or a bracelet can be purchased for $12 (Wednesday-Friday) or $14 (Saturday) for unlimited rides.

This is the 5th year for the 4-H Community Fair at Strickers Grove. 4-H is a part of Ohio State University Extension, Hamilton County. OSU Extension, 4-H Educator, Tonya Horvath, shared that this year the 4-H youth have “stepped up their game” and this is sure to be one of the most successful fairs to date. Horvath also shared that Hamilton County has seen significant growth recently, more than 70 new members joined in the last year.

Youth enrolled in 4-H programs enter projects as part of a county level competition and are rated by judges with experience and expertise in a variety of fields. From Rabbits to Robots, more than 195 projects were judged in Hamilton County. Once judged, some projects are selected to go onto the Ohio State Fair. Horvath said “this is the most state fair delegates we have seen from Hamilton County in a long time.”

4-H Youth Development provides opportunities for youth from Kindergarten to age 18 to participate in self-directed projects aimed at teaching the youth about a variety of topics. 4-H youth historically work with agriculture and livestock but, over the years, more projects have been added. Youth build robots, rocket ships, literature, performing arts and many more projects.

To learn more about 4-H in Hamilton County, contact Ohio State University Extension, Hamilton County by calling 513-946-8989 or visit hamilton.osu.edu. To learn more about the 4-H Community Fair visit www.hc4hcommunityfair.org.

4-H’ers Alexander (left) and Carlee (right) pose with a kitten and a pony.

Check out this video from 4-H Agri-Science in the City about making your own Classroom Hot Sauce.

The Students at Rothenberg Preparatory Academy in Cincinnati are part of the exciting program, 4-H Agri-Science in the City!  In preparation for spring the students at Rothenberg have started seeds for various gardens at the school and around their community.

They have started 240 Tomato Seeds, 120 Sweet Peppers, 30 hot peppers and are experimenting with starting zucchini seeds under different conditions.

There was excitement this week when the students returned from spring break to find their small plants beginning to emerge from the soil.

Check out the progress and feel free to share your experiences with seed starting.

Do you want to learn more about taking care of your home garden.  Come to our Home Gardening Series, which begins on April 28^th from 7:00 to 9:00 pm.

Topics to be covered:
April 28^th – Lawncare Made Simple
May 12^th – Pest Management
May 26^th – Non-Native Invasive Pests
June 2^nd – Gardening for Pollinators

To sign up call 513-946-8989 or email Julie Crook, Crook.46@osu.edu

You can also Look for the Hamilton County Master Gardener Volunteer display at the Cincinnati Flower Show April 15 – 19 at Yeatman’s Cove Park, they will be there to answer gardening questions and hand out helpful resources.

Check out our Hamilton Master Gardeners at the 2015 Cincinnati Home & Garden Show.  The Master Gardeners had a Ask a Master Gardener display and were there answering gardening questions and handing out helpful resources!